Ductwork is an essential aspect of any commercial premises and is even found many homes. Ductwork refers to the pipes, tubes and conduits that move around, deliver or remove air from a premises, and it makes up a key aspect of the site’s heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Whether you are designing your ductwork yourself or appointing someone else to do it, be sure to avoid these three very common ductwork mistakes.
1. The wrong size
It’s really important to properly calculate how big your ducts need to be. Ducts that are too narrow simply will not be able to deliver or remove the air at a suitable flow, even if the air conditioner or furnace is powerful. The most common mistake is to use ducts that are too narrow, but you should also avoid ones that are too big, which will increase energy costs. Always check that the contractor you have appointed to design the ductwork uses appropriate calculations for determining the size of ductwork rather than relying on guesswork. There are many calculators available online to help.
Whether you’re using a system for heating, ventilation or cooling, it’s really important that plenty of return vents have been fitted to retract air back into the system. Large areas of ductwork without returns will result in hot and cold spots in the home or poorly ventilated areas.
3. Badly placed elbows
Elbows (the term for bends or corners) in the ductwork are an unavoidable aspect of the design and will reduce efficiency wherever they are placed, as the circulation of air will be disrupted. A good duct designer will minimize the use of bends and try to install long, straight ducts wherever it’s possible to do so. The most important place to avoid duct elbows is directly after the conditioning unit, fan or furnace; at this point, air should have a long, straight flow. Duct elbows and a full range of other ducting supplies can be found at https://www.dustspares.co.uk/.
Armed with the knowledge of these common mistakes to avoid, you are now ready to start planning your ductwork or appointing a professional to get the job done for you. Don’t be afraid ask your professional ductwork designer or installer to demonstrate how they have considered the above points.
